Preview: Northwestern Wildcats at Southern California Trojans

LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — The surging Southern California Trojans host the struggling Northwestern Wildcats in a Big Ten men’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at Galen Center.

The Trojans (14-4) look to rebound from a narrow 69-64 home loss to then-Purdue last Saturday, a result that snapped a three-game winning streak. Southern California has been strong at home this season, boasting a 9-2 record at Galen Center.

Northwestern (8-10) arrives mired in a six-game losing streak, all within conference play. The Wildcats are coming off a 77-58 home loss to Nebraska. Their last victory was an 80-60 win over Howard on Dec. 30.

The game features a contrast in offensive momentum. Southern California, led by forward Jacob Cofie, averages 78.2 points per game. Cofie is coming off a 13-point, three-assist performance against Purdue and has been a consistent contributor during conference play.

Northwestern will lean heavily on the hot hand of forward Nick Martinelli, who has been a bright spot during the team’s skid. Martinelli is averaging 27.0 points over his last three games, including a 34-point effort in an overtime loss at Rutgers on Jan. 11. He scored 22 points in the loss to Nebraska.

The Wildcats’ recent woes have been compounded by defensive struggles, allowing an average of 78.8 points during their six-game slide. They will face a Trojan squad that has scored 80 or more points in nine games this season.

Historically, Southern California holds a 6-2 advantage in the series, though this will be the first meeting as Big Ten conference opponents. The Trojans won the most recent matchup 65-56 in November 2011.

For Northwestern, the contest opens a challenging two-game California road swing, with a game at UCLA to follow on Saturday. Southern California hits the road for its next two, beginning Sunday at Wisconsin.

Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. PST Wednesday.